Notes: Both the NASCAR Nextel Cup and Busch Series will compete on the same tire codes this week at Charlotte . . . Nextel Cup and Busch Series teams have already run on this specific combination of left- and right-side tires several times earlier this season . . . in fact, this is the 10th and final time that Nextel Cup teams will run these codes in 2004 . . . in addition to Charlotte, other major NASCAR tracks at which this combination was used in 2004 are California, Chicagoland, Dover, Kansas, Kentucky and Michigan . . . as on all NASCAR ovals greater than one mile in length, teams are required to run inner liners in all four tire positions at Charlotte . . . the air pressure in the inner liners must be 12-25 psi greater than that of the outer tire.

Tire Quote: Jeff Gordon, driver of the No. 24 Dupont Chevrolet and four-time Nextel Cup champion, said, "This tire gives you a good feel and it lets you push the car early in the run. What I like about it is that it allows for times to drop off during a run, and forces us to start working on the mechanical grip of the car."

RACE BONUS INFO

The NASCAR Nextel Cup Leader Bonus is $20,000 at Lowe's Motor Speedway for leading the points and winning the race. The $360,000 annual award is paid at $10,000 per race to the point leader at the end of each event if the driver is also the winner. The award increases by $10,000 each week the it goes unclaimed. If the point leader is not the race winner at the end of the year, the balance of the award is distributed among the top-10 finishers in the drivers point standings.
2004 NASCAR Nextel Cup Leader Bonus Winners:
Matt Kenseth, March 2004, Las Vegas, $30,000)
Dale Earnhardt Jr., May 2004, Richmond, $80,000
Jimmie Johnson, August 2004, Pocono, $90,000
Dale Earnhardt Jr., May 2004, Richmond, $80,000
Dale Earnhardt Jr., October 2004, Talladega, $90,000
(10-11-2004)

MBNA Mid-Race Leader Award: The MBNA Mid-Race Leader Award is worth $10,000 to any eligible NASCAR Nextel Cup driver who leads a race at the halfway mark and displays the MBNA Mid-Race Leader Award decal on their race car. An additional $5,000 is earned if that driver also wins the race. If the race-win bonus is not earned, the $5,000 rolls into the next week’s award. Eligible drivers earn two points for winning the MBNA Mid-Race Leader Award and another point if they also go on to win the race. The driver who earns the most points during the season will win the MBNA Mid-Race Leader Award Championship.

IN-CAR AUDIO SITES

none listed

QUALIFYING, PRACTICE and RESULTSnews and links

Johnson wins at LMS; sweeps both Cup races: #48-Jimmie Johnson won the UAW-GM 500 at Lowe's Motor Speedway, sweeping both 2004 Cup races, but not quite as dominatig as the Coca-Cola 600 when he led 334 of the 400 laps. #9-Kasey Kahne pretty much dominated the first 400 miles, leading 207 laps before a right front tire blew out, sending Kahne into the wall. While the win helped Johnson gain a few points, #97-Kurt Busch, who was involved in a lap one accident with minor damage, slowly worked his way thru the field and finshed 4th, maintaining a slim 24 points lead over #8-Dale Earnhardt Jr. [which could change pending Dale Jr's penalty appeal on Monday]. #24-Gordon, who was involved in two early wrecked, came back and finished 2nd with a beat up car, #8-Dale Earnhardt Jr., after starting 25th, finished 3rd, followed by Busch and last weeks winner, #01-Joe Nemechek. There were 11 caution flags for 53 laps and 18 lead changes among 9 drivers.
For race results, see:Jayski's Charlotte Race Results/Awards PageMotorsportsOneNASCAR.com.(10-16-2004)

Who got a lap back on each caution at Charlotte - The Lucky Dog Pack: (and their finish)
(FOX calls it 'the Free Pass Car', NBC calls it the Lucky Dog - which I prefer)Caution 9: #17-Kenseth, 11thCaution 8: #4-Spencer, 29thCaution 7: #24-Gordon, 2ndCaution 6: #20-Stewart, 10thCaution 5: #20-Stewart, 10thCaution 4: #?Caution 3: #?Caution 2: #?Caution 1: none, no one a lap down, that is on the track
See past races, rules, news and who has used the most Lucky Dog passes on myLucky Dog page.(10-16-2004)

Charlotte Race Notes:
---- Jimmie Johnson won the UAW-Quality 500, scoring his 11th career
NASCAR NEXTEL Cup victory in his 106th career start. His last victory
came at Pocono, 11 races ago. ---- It is Johnson's fifth victory in
2004. ---- Johnson scored his third victory and sixth top-10 finish
in seven races at Lowe's Motor Speedway. ---- Johnson won here in
May and became only the sixth driver to score a sweep at Lowe's
Motor Speedway. The last time a sweep occurred at Lowe's was in 1986
by Dale Earnhardt. ---- All 11 of Johnson's victories have
occurred on superspeedways. ---- Johnson climbed from ninth to eighth
in The Chase for NASCAR NEXTEL Cup. ---- Johnson led three times for
35 laps including the final 17. He did not lead the most laps.----
Kasey Kahne led four times for 207 laps, the most laps that Kahne has
led in a single race in his NASCAR NEXTEL Cup career. He led the most
laps for the second time in 2004. ---- This was the 18th victory for
Chevrolet. Dodge has nine and Ford has four. Chevrolet has clinched
the 2004 Manufacturer's Championship, the 28th time they have won
the manufacturer's championship. Notebook Items The Chase for the
2004 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup
---- With five races remaining in the Chase for the 2004 NASCAR
NEXTEL Cup,
349 points separate first to 10th. The biggest margin is between third
and fourth place where Jeff Gordon (third) leads Elliott Sadler by 83
points. ---- Only two drivers in the top-10 in points changed
positions at Lowe's Motor Speedway. ---- All 10 drivers competing
in the Chase for the 2004 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup scored at least one
victory in the first 26 races of the 2004 season. Busch, Newman,
Earnhardt Jr., Nemechek and Johnson posted victories in the first five
races of the 10-race Chase for the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup. ---- Dale
Earnhardt Jr. and Kurt Busch are the only drivers to score top-10
finishes in the first five races in the Chase. ---- Six of the 10
drivers in the Chase for the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup posted top-10 finishes
in the 2004 UAW-GM Quality 500. ---- Jeremy Mayfield lost 92 points
to leader Kurt Busch in the Chase for the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup, the
biggest drop in the standings among the top-10 at Lowe's Motor
Speedway. Mayfield is now 349 points behind point leader Kurt Busch.
---- Approximately $1 million will be paid to the driver who finishes
11th in the final NASCAR NEXTEL Cup point standings â€“ an increase of
more than $400,000 from over one year ago. That includes a $250,000
bonus, which will be paid to the 11th-place finisher. Additionally,
the 11th-place driver will also join the top-10 drivers on the stage
at the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Awards Ceremony in New York in December.
Currently, Jamie McMurray holds the 11th-place position by 74 points
over 12th-place Dale Jarrett. ---- Jeff Gordon (second) scored his
21st top-10 finish of the season, the most of all drivers. It was his
15th top-10 finish in 24 races at Lowe's Motor Speedway. ---- Dale
Earnhardt Jr. (third) scored his 20th top-10 finish in 2004. It was
his sixth top-10 finish in 11 races at Lowe's Motor Speedway. This
is his sixth top-10 finish in the last six races, the longest top-10
streak of his career. ---- Kurt Busch (fourth) scored his 17th top-10
finish in 2004. It was his first top-10 finish in nine races at
Lowe's Motor Speedway. Busch has finished sixth or better in all
five races in the Chase for the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup and leads
second-place Dale Earnhardt Jr. by 24 points. ---- Joe Nemechek
(fifth) scored his seventh top-10 finish in 2004, including four in
the last five races. It was his third top-10 finish in 21 races at
Lowe's Motor Speedway. This marked the first time in his 353-race
career that he has scored back-to-back top-five finishes. ---- Matt
Kenseth (11th) has ranked among the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Top 10 66
straight races.(NASCAR Statistical Services)(10-16-2004)

Stock Car Fans - Rumblings - Charlotte: A crazy night at Lowe's Motor Speedway. First, we couldn't make the first turn of the first lap without a pileup.....then it took us 13 laps till we finished one under green. It looked like Kasey Kahne was gonna run away and hide (at this point, we can only hope he broke just one mirror), but after he smacked the wall in turn 2 and fell out, it
suddenly became anybody's race. And that opened the door for Jimmie Johnson. For a guy who seems to know his way around this 1 1/2 miler named for his sponsor, he took tonight's UAW-GM Quality 500 to become the 5th sweeper at Lowe's. This was win #3 at LMS for Johnson, his 5th of 2004 (he joins Jeff Gordon & Dale Earnhardt Jr as tops in that category), and the 11th victory of his career (he's tied with Kurt Busch & Ryan Newman for 46th all-time). This was win #127 for Hendrick Motorsports and their 10th of the season, marking the 5th time they've been in double digits in wins in their history (with a best of 14 in 1998). JJ will cash $191,450 from the over $4.9M in posted awards, and seeing as how he's swept Pocono & Charlotte, you might want to keep an eye on him when we get to Darlington in 4 weeks (he won there in March).
Jeff Gordon (2nd) had his best finish since he won at The Brickyard in August.
Jeff Burton (9th) had his best finish since he was 4th at Bristol in August.
STREAKIN....Dale Earnhardt Jr has 6 Top-10's in a row.
Kurt Busch has 5 Top-10's in a row.
Dale Jarrett has 4 Top-10's in a row.
Jamie McMurray has 8 Top-10's in the last 9 races.
Joe Nemechek has 4 Top-10's in the last 5 races.
This Week's Elevator....UP: Operator of the Week is Dale Jarrett (+33), followed by Jeff Burton (+26), Matt Kenseth (+25), Ricky Rudd (+25), Ward Burton (+24), Dale Earnhardt Jr (+23), and Jeff Gordon (+21). DOWN: The Big Dropper was Scott Riggs (-34), followed by Kasey Kahne (-30), Kevin Harvick (-29), Dave Blaney (-28), Brian Vickers (-24), and Michael Waltrip (-22).
With five down and five to go in the "Chase" we see no real change this week. Dale Jr takes five points off Kurt Busch's lead, but if we're gonna see a real bite it'll come Monday when he meets with the Commission in regards to his Talladega penalty. He's now 24 points behind in 2nd as there is no change in the Top-7 of the order.B
Jeremy Mayfield's got a "Magic Number" of 14 (pretty high with five to to). That means if Kurt Busch runs 14th or better every week, Jeremy can't catch him. Ryan Newman's is now 9 and even with the win tonight, Jimmie Johnson went from 6 to 7.
Once again the "Classic" points is where it's at! Jeff Gordon still holds a one-point lead over Little E (think about what could be written about that every week!) and there was no change in the Top-13 in the "Classic" standings. Jeff Burton (19th to 17th) and Joe Nemechek (21st to 19th) made multi-position moves this week (Joe's gained 5 spots the last two weeks, btw) while Greg Biffle (18th to 22nd) fell four spots.(StockCarFans.Com Nextel Cup Newsletter)(10-16-2004)

TO THE BACK: #42-Jamie McMurray [scheduled to start 25th], wrecked in Friday's first practice and will use a back up car in Happy Hour practice and the race. #99-Carl Edwards will miss the drivers meeting for the race OR Dave Blaney will drive the car if Edwards does't get there in time, either way. Edwards [missing drivers meeting]/Blaney [driver change] and McMurray will have to fall to the rear of the field before the start of the UAW-GM Quality 500 at Lowe's Motor Speedway.(10-15-2004)

Newman wastes the track record at Lowe's Motor Speedway: #12-Ryan Newman won the Budweiser Pole at Lowe's Motor Speedway for the UAW-GM Quality 500 with a new track record running a lap of 188.877mph, crushing the old record of 187.052mph, set by Jimmie Johnson this past May. The rest of the top-5 are #9-Kaey Kahne, #41-Casey Mears, #10-Scott Riggs and #38-Elliott Sadler. Have the best batch of provisional starters in a while, with #88-Jarrett, #5-Labonte, #21-Rudd, #22-Wimmer and #0-Burton used the five provisionals. For qualifying speeds, rookie results, pole progression, see my Jayski's Charlotte Qualifying/Results Page.
See results/starting lineup at:Motorsports OneNASCAR.com.(10-14-2004)

NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series Qualifying Notes
• Ryan Newman won the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Bud Pole for the UAW-GM Quality
500, lapping Lowe’s Motor Speedway in 28.590 seconds at 188.877 mph. He broke
Jimmie Johnson’s track-qualifying record of 28.869 seconds, 187.052 mph - set
May 27, 2004. Johnson had taken the track record from Newman in May.
• This is Newman’s 24th career Bud Pole in 111 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup races.
His most recent Bud Pole came at Richmond, five races ago.
• This is his sixth Bud Pole in 2004, tying Jeff Gordon. Kasey Kahne
(four), Casey Mears (two), Brian Vickers (two), Jeremy Mayfield (two) and Joe
Nemechek (two) are the other drivers with more than one Bud Pole this season.
Qualifying was canceled at Watkins Glen, second Michigan and second New Hampshire
due to weather.
• This is Newman’s 21st top-10 start in 31 races this season, more than any
other driver.
• It is Newman’s fourth Bud Pole and his eighth top-10 start in as many
races at Charlotte. It is his third Bud Pole in the last four races here. Newman
has never started worse than fourth in a NASCAR NEXTEL Cup race at Lowe’s
Motor Speedway.
• Kasey Kahne had the second-fastest time with a qualifying lap of 28.820
seconds at 187.311 mph and will join Newman on the front row. It is his 13th
top-10 start in 2004 and his eighth on the front row in just 31 career races.
It is his first top-10 start in his two races at Charlotte.
• This is 14th Bud Pole for Dodge in 2004. Chevrolet has 12 Bud Poles and
Ford has two.
• Casey Mears (third) posted his eighth top-10 start in 2004 and completed
a Dodge sweep of the top-three starting positions. It is his first start
better than 14th in four Charlotte races.
• Scott Riggs (fourth) posted his sixth top-10 start in 2004 and joins
Kahne as two Raybestos Rookie-of-the-Year candidates to start in the top four. He
started 28th in his other NASCAR NEXTEL Cup race at Lowe’s Motor Speedway.
• Elliott Sadler (fifth) posted his 16th top-10 start in 2004 and his ninth
in the past 12 races. It is his sixth top-10 start in 13 races at Lowe’s
Motor Speedway, including five of the last six races.
• Three of the 10 drivers involved in The Chase for the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup
qualified in the top-10: Newman, Sadler and Jimmie Johnson (ninth).
NASCAR Statistical Services)(10-14-2004)

Stock Car Fans - Ramblings - Chalotte:
Sometimes you break a track record....sometimes you shatter one. And, sometimes you're Ryan Newman! Tonight, it was Ryan Newman time again at Lowe's Motor Speedway, and all he did was blow the previous mark away. Ryan moved around the big
track in Charlotte in 28.590 seconds (188.877 mph) and nabbed his 6th Bud pole of 2004 (he's tied with Jeff Gordon for the front end of that contingeny award) and the 24th of his Cup career. He'll be joined on the front row by Kasey Kahne...the second week in
a row that he'll be on the outside pole.
Casey Mears (3rd) has his best starting spot since he had the pole at the Brickyard in August. The top three starters all beat the previous track record tonight.
Scott Riggs (4th) ties his career-best starting spot this weekend. He also started 4th at Fontana in April and Talladega two weeks ago.
Kevin Harvick (7th) has his best starting spot since he lined up 5th at Martinsville in April.
Carl Edwards (9th....and a busy man this weekend) has his career-best starting spot this weekend. His previous best was 13th at Richmond last month.
Bobby Hamilton (10th....and a proud new papa) has his best starting spot since he lined up 15th when we were here in May of 2001!
Jimmy Spencer (22nd) has his best starting spot since he qualified 22nd at California in April.
Jeff Fuller (26th) has his best starting spot since he lined up 7th at Talladega in April of 2000 (only 4 starts).
Kevin Lepage (27th) has his best starting spot since he lined up 27th at Chicagoland in July (only 3 starts).
Tony Raines (28th) has his best starting spot since he lined up 19th at Homestead last November (only 5 starts).
Johnny Sauter (29th) has his best starting spot since he started 29th at 2alladega in April (only 5 starts).
Ken Schrader (30th) has his best starting spot since he qualified 26th at Bristol in August.
STREAKIN....Ryan Newman has 5 Top-10 starts in the last 6 races.
Elliott Sadler has 4 Top-10 starts in the last 5 races.
StockCarFans.Com Nextel Cup Newsletter)(10-14-2004)

How to Calculate Track Speeds: use the formula Speed = Distance divided by Time. Distance is Track Length, and Lap Time into Hours. Once hour is 3600 seconds, so the calculation for a 48 second lap at Daytona(2.5 miles) would be: Speed = 2.5 x (3600/48), = 2.5 x 75 = 187.500mph. For a 19 second lap at Bristol(.533 miles): Speed = .533 x (3600/19), = .533 x 189.474 = a speed of 100.990mph

How to break a tie during qualifying? (same speed/time) When drivers are tied for a starting spot during qualifying, it is broken by owners points standings(not drivers).

Links: Practice speeds, qualifying and results can be found at these sites:NASCAR.com

TRACK RECORDS, NOTES, RULES and NEWS

Who's Hot Heading to Lowe's Motor Speedway
* Dale Earnhardt Jr., has scored five top-10 finishes, including one victory, in the last five races.
* Kurt Busch has scored 10 consecutive top-15 finishes.
* Dale Jarrett has scored three straight top-10 finishes.
* Jamie McMurray has scored seven top-10 finishes in the last eight races.
* Joe Nemechek has scored three top-10 finishes, including one victory, in the last four races.
* Ricky Rudd has scored three straight top-15 finishes.
* Jimmie Johnson has scored five straight top-10 finishes at Lowe's Motor Speedway, the longest top-10 streak among active drivers at the North Carolina superspeedway.(NASCAR Statistical Services)(10-11-2004)

$$ Fact: Only three driver who have made all the Cup races in 2004 have won more then $100,000 in each race:
#8-Dale Earnhardt Jr.
#12-Ryan Newman
#17-Matt Kenseth
(10-11-2004)

Maintaining a Top-10 Standard: Four drivers have remained in the top-10 in the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup point standings all season: Dale Earnhardt Jr., Matt Kenseth, Tony Stewart and Elliott Sadler.(NASCAR Statistical Services)..and none can fall out of the top 10 now that they are in the Chase for the Nextel Cup.(10-11-2004)

Track Milestones• Fireball Roberts won the pole for the first NASCAR NEXTEL Cup race at Charlotte, the World 600 in 1960.• Joe Lee Johnson won the first NASCAR NEXTEL Cup race at Charlotte, the World 600 in 1960.• Track lighting was installed in 1992. The first night race was the 1992 The Winston. The first night (twilight) points race was the 1993 Coca-Cola 600.• Charlotte Motor Speedway was renamed Lowe’s Motor Speedway in 1999.• The 2003 UAW-GM Quality was the first complete night race at Lowe’s Motor Speedway.

Track UpdateThere have been nine different race winners in the last 10 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup races at Lowe’s Motor Speedway. Jimmie Johnson (May 2003 and May 2004) is the only repeat race winner beginning in the fall of 1999.

Manufacturer UpdateAll three manufacturers have posted victories at Lowe’s Motor Speedway in the past three seasons, but Chevrolet has won three straight.

Qualifying UpdateJeff Gordon has won seven Bud Poles in his 23 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup races at Charlotte. He is second only to retired driver David Pearson with 14 poles at the North Carolina speedway.

The Money• The posted awards for the UAW-GM Quality 500 are $4,951,541.• The NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Leader Bonus is worth $20,000 for the UAW-GM Quality 500.• The MBNA Mid-Race Leader Bonus is worth $10,000 for the UAW-GM Quality 500.

Would You Believe?Ryan Newman has scored three Bud Poles, a second and three fourth-place starts in his seven races at Lowe’s Motor Speedway.

Track Tidbits• The field will consist of 43 cars: the fastest 38 cars plus five provisionals based upon current NASCAR NEXTEL Cup owner points. The 43rd position is reserved for a past NASCAR NEXTEL Cup champion, if needed. If unused by a past champion, it will go to the next eligible car owner.• The faster of two qualifying laps will be used to determine the first 38 starting positions, with the provisionals added afterward as required.• There have been 91 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup races at Charlotte, two races per year, since the track opened in 1960. In 1961, there were two 100-mile qualifying races held the week before the World 600.• Ryan Newman is the defending Bud Pole winner for the UAW-GM Quality 500 – he swept both Bud Poles there in 2003.• David Pearson leads all drivers with 14 Bud Poles at Charlotte, including 11 straight from the fall of 1973 through 1978.• Jeff Gordon has won seven poles at Charlotte, the most of all active drivers. He won five straight poles for the Coca-Cola 600 between 1994 and 1998.• There have been only three different Bud Pole winners in the last seven races at Charlotte. Ryan Newman (May 2001; both 2003) and Jimmie Johnson (May 2002; May 2004) are the repeat Bud Pole winners in the seven-race period. Jimmy Spencer won the Bud Pole there in October 2001. Qualifying was rained out in the fall of 2002.• The pole at Charlotte has been swept 13 times. Bobby Labonte (1999) was the most recent driver to win both Bud Poles in a season at Charlotte until Ryan Newman did so in 2003.• Tony Stewart is the defending champion of the UAW-GM Quality 500.• Bobby Allison and Darrell Waltrip are the all-time winners at Lowe’s Motor Speedway. Both have six Charlotte victories. • Jeff Gordon and Mark Martin lead all active drivers, each with four victories at Charlotte.• In 44 years of twice-a-year NASCAR NEXTEL Cup racing at Lowe’s Motor Speedway, a sweep has occurred just five times.• Dale Earnhardt (1986) was the most recent driver to win both Charlotte races in the same year. Richard Petty (1975), David Pearson (1974), Bobby Allison (1971) and Fred Lorenzen (1965) are the others to win both Charlotte races in the same year.• The NASCAR NEXTEL Cup race at Lowe’s Motor Speedway has been won from the pole and from the second starting position 13 times. Third has produced 12 winners while fourth and fifth have each produced seven for a total of 52 victories in 91 races from the top-five starting positions (57-percent).• Jimmie Johnson won the 2003 Coca-Cola 600 from the 37th starting position, the furthest back a race winner has started at Charlotte.

Track Update of the WeekTony Stewart has finished ninth or better in eight of his 11 races at Charlotte, including a victory in the 2003 UAW-GM Quality 500.

How Important is Track Position?Six of the last 15 races at Charlotte have been won from the front row, but six of the last 10 have been won from a starting position of 13th or worse.

Rookie Success• Jamie McMurray won in his first NASCAR NEXTEL Cup race at Charlotte, the 2002 UAW-GM Quality 500 – prior to his 2003 rookie season.• Jimmie Johnson won a Bud Pole and posted two top-10 finishes at Lowe’s Motor Speedway in his rookie season (2002). • Kevin Harvick started sixth and finished second in his first NASCAR NEXTEL Cup race at Charlotte in May 2001.• Ryan Newman posted his career-first NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Bud Pole in qualifying for the 2001 Coca-Cola 600 – prior to his 2002 rookie season.• Dale Earnhardt, Jr., scored his career-first NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Bud Pole in qualifying for the 2000 Coca-Cola 600. Fellow 2000 Rookie-of-the-Year contender, Matt Kenseth, posted his career-first NASCAR NEXTEL Cup victory in the race.• Tony Stewart finished fourth in his first race at Charlotte, the 1999 Coca-Cola 600.(NASCAR Statistical Services)(10-14-2004)

NUGGETS:

The Chase for the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup • With six races remaining, 10 drivers continue The Chase for the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup. First to 10th in the standings are separated by 257 points with the biggest margin occurring between third-place Jeff Gordon and fourth-place Elliott Sadler, who are separated by 64 points. • Four drivers in the top-10 in points changed positions at Kansas Speedway.• All 10 drivers competing in The Chase for the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup scored at least one victory in the first 26 races of the 2004 season. • Kurt Busch, Ryan Newman and Dale Earnhardt Jr. posted victories in the first three races of The Chase for the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup with Joe Nemechek winning the fourth race to become the first non-Chase race winner.• Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Kurt Busch are the only drivers to score top-10 finishes in each of the first four races in the Chase.• Four of the 10 drivers in The Chase for the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup posted top-10 finishes in the Banquet 400.• Second through fifth in The Chase for the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup are all within 150 points of the leader and could possibly overtake Kurt Busch at Lowe’s Motor Speedway.• Sixth through 10th all trail Kurt Busch by more than 156 points and cannot overtake the lead at Lowe’s Motor Speedway.

The Points Shuffle ContinuesElliott Sadler made the most significant gain in the Banquet 400 presented by ConAgra Foods. His fourth-place finish moved him from eighth to fourth - the only positive change in the race and the biggest change in the point standings among the top 10 since The Chase began. Matt Kenseth dropped two positions while Mark Martin and Ryan Newman dropped one each.

The Other ChaseApproximately $1 million will be paid to the driver who finishes 11th in the final NASCAR NEXTEL Cup point standings – an increase of more than $400,000 over one year ago. That includes a $250,000 bonus, which will be paid to the 11th-place finisher. Additionally, the 11th-place driver will also join the top-10 drivers on the stage at the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Awards Banquet in New York in December. Currently, Jamie McMurray holds the 11th-place position by 82 points over 12th-place Dale Jarrett. McMurray has held the 11th-position since The Chase began while three different drivers have been ranked 12th.

Leading The Way in 2004Jeff Gordon is the only driver to lead at least one lap in 22 races in 2004.

Maintaining a Top-10 StandardFour drivers have remained in the top-10 in the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup point standings all season: Dale Earnhardt Jr., Tony Stewart, Elliott Sadler and Matt Kenseth. Kenseth has ranked in the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Top 10 for 65 straight races.

Winning From Up Front at Lowe’s Motor Speedway Twenty-six of the 89 races at Lowe’s Motor Speedway (29 percent) have been won from a front-row starting position including Jimmie Johnson’s victory from the Bud Pole there in May.

Charlotte DominatorJimmie Johnson has finished seventh or better in his last five races at Lowe’s Motor Speedway, the longest top-10 streak among active drivers.

Manufacturer DominanceA Chevrolet has won the last three races at Lowe’s Motor Speedway.

And Beat Goes Onark Martin has been running at the finish in his last 19 races at Lowe’s Motor Speedway, the longest streak among active drivers.

Ricky Rudd Expected to Set Mark at Lowe’s Motor SpeedwayRicky Rudd is expected to make his 57th start at Lowe’s Motor Speedway which will tie him with Buddy Baker for second all-time in starts at Lowe’s Motor Speedway. Richard Petty holds the record with 64 starts there.

Selected Records at Lowe’s Motor Speedway • Jeff Gordon leads all active drivers with seven Bud Poles at Lowe’s Motor Speedway. • Mark Martin and Jeff Gordon lead all active drivers each with four victories at Lowe’s Motor Speedway. • Mark Martin leads all active drivers with 15 top-five finishes in 39 races at Lowe’s Motor Speedway. • Ricky Rudd leads all active drivers with 25 top-10 finishes in 56 races at Lowe’s Motor Speedway.• Mark Martin has led 1,116 laps at Lowe’s Motor Speedway, more than any other active driver• Ryan Newman has a 2.428 starting average in seven races at Lowe’s Motor Speedway the best of all drivers.• Jamie McMurray has a 9.25 average finish in four races at Lowe’s Motor Speedway, the best of all active drivers.

Charlotte - “The Spoiler” for Some of the Top 10?• Kurt Busch has finished 11th or worse in all eight of his races at Lowe’s Motor Speedway.• Mark Martin has finished 36th, 11th, 29th and 16th in his last four races at Lowe’s Motor Speedway. • Elliott Sadler has posted only one top-10 finish in 12 races at Lowe’s Motor Speedway.

Skunked at Lowe’s Motor SpeedwayRicky Rudd is expected to compete in his 57th race at Lowe’s Motor Speedway. Rudd has never won a race at the North Carolina track.

Winning Tougher than Ever in 2004• There have been at least one first-time winner in in each of the past 10 seasons (1994-2003). With no first-time race winner through the first 30 races in 2004 that streak stands in jeopardy.• There are seven drivers who won in 2003 that have not won in 2004 (Bobby Labonte, Michael Waltrip, Ricky Craven, Bill Elliott, Kevin Harvick, Dale Jarrett and Terry Labonte).(NASCAR Statistical Services)(10-14-2004)

TRACK/RACE NEWS

National Anthem: Daniel Rodriguez, America’s Beloved Tenor, will sing the National Anthem for Saturday night’s UAW-GM QUALITY 500 at Lowe's Motor Speedway. Rodriguez recently retired from the New York City Fire Department. He was introduced to the world following the 9-11 tragedy. Earlier this week he sang “God Bless America” at the New York Yankees game, and has previously performed the anthem at several World Series games.(LMS Pit Notes)(10-16-2004)

Record $6.2 Million Purse Posted for UAW-GM Quality 500 Week: If the total prize money for Lowe's Motor Speedway's UAW-GM Quality 500 Week Oct. 13-16 was laid end-to-end in $1 bills, the money would circle the 1.5-mile superspeedway nearly 402 times, covering almost 603 miles. The record purse of $6,236,982 represents an 11.6-percent increase over the prize money posted just one year ago and is $2.5 million greater than what was paid for the October races in 2000. The UAW-GM Quality 500 on Saturday night, Oct. 16, will be worth a record $4,936,541, an increase of $671,792 over last October's NEXTEL Cup event at the 1.5-mile superspeedway. Featuring several NASCAR NEXTEL Cup drivers battling the Busch Series regulars, competitors in the Lowe's presents The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie 300 on Friday night, Oct. 15, will be chasing the lion's share of a record $1,121,281 in posted prize money and awards.
When the cars and stars of the American Speed Association make their Lowe's Motor Speedway debut in the Aaron's 99 during Bojangles' Pole Night Thursday, Oct. 14, they will be racing for a total of $138,260. The second annual Mopar Sprint Car Nationals on Wednesday night, Oct. 13, at The Dirt Track @ Lowe's Motor Speedway will see the USAC sprint cars and O'Reilly Southern All Star Racing Series late models compete for a record $40,900 in posted awards.
Tickets for all UAW-GM Quality 500 Week events are available by calling 1-800-455-FANS or online at www.lowesmotorspeedway.com.(LMS PR)(10-12-2004)

Keeping, buidling motorsports industry in Mooresville is now a high priority: Following Gov. Mike Easley’s assertion here this week that the $5 billion generated by the motorsports industry in North Carolina each year could be grown despite other states’ bids to strip it away, area leaders say Mooresville is at the forefront in keeping – and building -- racing businesses. “We were the first Chamber to go to PRI,” Melanie O’Connell Underwood said, referring about the Mooresville-South Iredell (MSI) Chamber of Commerce’s visit to the world’s largest motorsports trade show, Performance Racing Industries, in Indianapolis. As the MSI economic developer, she helps lure businesses here, and a major component of those are motorsports-related, like race teams, marketing firms, and parts suppliers. That warranted a trip to PRI. “After we went, Texas, Virginia and other states started going,” she said. Now, MSI has a booth at the show. But that’s not all that the area is doing to preserve and grow racing jobs, she said. “We were the first to offer incentives to race teams,” she said. Mooresville, for example, recently gave tax incentives to Penske Racing South for buying and retrofitting the former Matsushita building in Mooresville Business Park. But other states are getting wise to North Carolina’s 30th largest industry. Underwood said South Carolina offered free land and no employment taxes for 10 years to a motorsports-related company looking to make a $40 million investment in a facility. “Where could I go to give people free land?” Underwood said. “I can’t give land to them or any other industry.” Despite that, racing has been growing in this state for years.
“The industry has asked for nothing, NASCAR has asked for nothing,” said N.C. Rep. Karen Ray of Mooresville, who is also head of the motorsports caucus in the General Assembly. “What has happened is the state now recognized the investment that the NASCAR and racing has put in North Carolina.”
And Easley spoke about that on Tuesday at the Mooresville Citizens Center during the North Carolina Motorsports Association’s (NCMA) annual meeting. A study funded by the Rural Economic Development Center, the Golden LEAF Foundation, and the NCMA showed that motorsports brings big money to the state. In all, motorsports accounts for more than 24,000 jobs in N.C. with an average pay (wage and benefits) of $61,017. Easley plans cater to that industry’s needs by forming a task force to see what it wants for an ideal business environment. Composed primarily of people in racing, that group will make recommendations on where to put efforts. “What I think is critical for North Carolina as we move forward to enhance this industry for the state is that we be methodical, have a business plan, and do it right,” Ray said. “We’re crawling before we walk, and that plays a big part for how you do it correctly. When you leave North Carolina and you ask somebody what North Carolina is famous for, they’ll tell you, ‘Racing,’ ” Ray said.
(Mooresville Tribune)(10-9-2004)

NC Governor's visit will unveil results of motorsports impact study: Gov. Mike Easley will pay a visit to Mooresville next week for the annual meeting of the North Carolina Motorsports Association (NCMA). Easley is expected to speak Tuesday about the results of an economic impact study for the motorsports industry in North Carolina. The yearlong study analyzed the financial benefits that auto racing has and could bring to the state. N.C. Rep. Karen Ray of Mooresville was instrumental in landing the annual meeting here for the first time. A representative for Iredell and Catawba counties in the N.C. General Assembly, she has brought auto racing, and especially NASCAR, to the forefront of initiatives in Raleigh. That includes sponsoring a bill for stock car racing license plates, helping form a racing caucus in the General Assembly to promote racing, and now, bringing the NCMA annual meeting to Mooresville. “A good cross section of motorsports industry people will be present at the meeting, from (NCMA Chairman) Richard Petty to small businesses,” Ray said. Anyone can become a member of the NCMA [ncmotorsportsassociation.org], she added.(Mooresville Tribune)(10-2-2004)

Richard Petty Driving Experience LMS Offers: Fans attending the UAW-GM Quality 500 Week events at Lowe's Motor Speedway will be able to take their racing experience to a new level as the Richard Petty Driving Experience offers race car rides around the legendary 1.5-mile superspeedway. The Ride-Alongs will be conducted from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 17, the day after the UAW-GM Quality 500 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series race on Saturday night, Oct. 16. Rides cost $149 each and reservations are required.
Each Ride-Along participant will receive three laps in a 600-horsepower NASCAR NEXTEL Cup-style stock car at speeds approaching
160 mph. The cars will be driven by professional Richard Petty Driving Experience instructors.
For information or to secure a seat for the Ride-Along session, contact the Richard Petty Driving Experience at 1-800-BE-PETTY.
UAW-GM Quality 500 Week runs Oct. 13-16 at Lowe's Motor Speedway and concludes Saturday night, Oct. 16, with round five of the 10-race Chase for the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup. Tickets are available for all events and can be obtained by calling 1-800-455-FANS or online at www.lowesmotorspeedway.com.(10-1-2004)

Hagerstown's Frank Plessinger Earns LMS Promoter of the Year Award: Frank Plessinger, the longtime owner and promoter of Maryland's Hagerstown Speedway, will be honored as the Lowe's Motor Speedway Promoter of the Year during pre-race
festivities for the UAW-GM Quality 500 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series event on Saturday night, Oct. 16.
Under Plessinger's guidance, the half-mile dirt track annually hosts one of the country's most diversified schedules. With a season
stretching from late February to the end of October, Hagerstown Speedway's weekly schedule features late model stock cars, but its
array of special events ranges from flat-track motorcycles to Monster Trucks to World of Outlaws sprint cars. Celebrating its 57th season, Hagerstown Speedway hosts such premier national events as the Hub-City National 150 for late model stock cars and the Hub-City Classic for the Grand National motorcycles of the American Motorcyclist Association. An Easter egg hunt, fireworks, a Father's Day celebration, demolition derbies, enduro races and an Octoberfest Camping Party, complete with food and musical
entertainment, are just a sampling of the track's many special events. Former recipients of the Lowe's Motor Speedway Promoter of the Year Award include Earl Baltes, Ralph Capitani, Ned Jarrett, Bill Donoho, Dick and Bob Bahre, Charles PoweII, Mickey Swims and Tom Curley. Tickets for the UAW-GM Quality 500, round five of the 10-race Chase for the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup, on Saturday night, Oct. 16, start at just $29 and can be obtained online at www.lowesmotorspeedway.com or by calling 1-800-455-FANS.(LMS PR)(9-26-2004)

Collectible Bojangles' Pole Night Ticket Celebrates 35th Anniversary of RCR: In recognition of Richard Childress
Racing's 35th anniversary, team owner Richard Childress and highlights from his remarkable career are featured on the collectible ticket for Lowe's Motor Speedway's Bojangles' Pole Night on Thursday, Oct. 14. Childress first showed his entrepreneurial spirit selling peanuts at Bowman-Gray Stadium, a legendary short-track in his hometown of Winston-Salem, N.C. By the time he was 17, Childress had earned enough money to purchase a race car and he moved from the grandstand to the track. Production of the collectible ticket, the 25th in a series of Pole Night ducats, was limited to just 7,500. The ticket, printed in vibrant four-color on quality stock, sells for $15 in advance and will be $20 the day of the event. Time trial runs during Bojangles' Pole Night on Thursday, Oct. 14, will determine the 43-car starting field for the UAW-GM Quality 500 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup race on Saturday night, Oct. 16. Qualifying for the Oct. 15 Lowe's presents The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie 300 Busch Series event and the Charlotte debut of the American Speed Association late model stock cars are also on the schedule. The limited-edition Bojangles' Pole Night ticket, along with tickets for all October events at Lowe's Motor Speedway, can be ordered online at www.lowesmotorspeedway.com or by calling the speedway ticket office at 1-800-455-FANS.(LMS PR)(9-22-2004)

Tix at Lowe's Motor Speedway Lower: With the goal of a packed house for its race in the Chase for the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup, Lowe's Motor Speedway has reduced ticket prices in various seating areas for the UAW-GM Quality 500 on Saturday night, Oct. 16. The fall race has not sold out since the speedway expanded its permanent seating capacity to nearly 167,000 to accommodate crowds for the Memorial Day Weekend Coca-Cola 600. Speedway officials have now reduced ticket prices in areas of typically unsold inventory for the October event.
Ticket prices in the Diamond Tower Terrace, normally priced at $98 and $110, have been reduced to $65, $75, $85 and $95. Select
frontstretch seats, normally priced at $96 and $101, have been reduced to $39. Fourth Turn Terrace seats, normally $119, are now $49, $59 and $85. Substantial savings are also available in the South Grandstand (between Turns One and Two) where ticket prices have been reduced from $96 to as little as $29 depending on location.
In addition, the speedway is offering a four-race SUPER Ticket package for only $99. Designed to encourage out-of-state race fans to
visit the Charlotte region, the SUPER Ticket includes admission to the Mopar Sprint Car Nationals at The Dirt Track (Oct. 13), Bojangles' Pole Night (Oct. 14), The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie 300 presented by Lowe's (Oct. 15) and the UAW-GM Quality 500 (Oct. 16).
Tickets for all UAW-GM Quality 500 Week events can be obtained by calling the Lowe's Motor Speedway ticket office at 1-800-455-FANS or online at www.lowesmotorspeedway.com.(LMS PR)(9-1-2004)

Not NASCAR but... With the Summer Shootout at Lowe's Motor Speedway over, it was time to get back to "grassroots"
racing at Concord Motorsports Park. The 1/4 mile track welcomed the #19 Hardees team back with open arms as driver Jason Haynes dominated the 15 lap Bandolero Outlaws feature, leading every lap. Congrats Jason, Jason's folks, Pat and Lauren], along with 600racing.com helped me [Jayski] quite a bit in my short ill-fated Bandalero Racing career [just had no time to do it]...Congrats Jason, owe ya a big old dinner at Lancasters.(8-22-2004)

NASCAR's Jim Hunter Honored: Longtime motorsports publicist, track promoter and NASCAR executive Jim Hunter will receive the 2004 Smokey Yunick Award recognizing lifetime achievement in auto racing during pre-race ceremonies for the UAW-GM Quality 500 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series event Saturday night, Oct. 16, at Lowe's Motor Speedway. The award, instituted several years ago by legendary car owner and mechanic Smokey Yunick who passed away May 11, 2001, annually recognizes an individual whose lifelong efforts have had a major impact on the motorsports industry.
"Fortunately, Jim Hunter found a way to combine his flair for promotion with his love for the sport," said H.A. "Humpy" Wheeler, president and general manager of Lowe's Motor Speedway. "From his days as a journalist in the Darlington press box to the guidance he is now giving our sport's next generation of leaders, Jim's tireless dedication has played a very important role in creating the tremendous popularity NASCAR racing enjoys on today's world stage."
After working as a sports writer and editor, Hunter started his motorsports career in 1968 as public relations director for Darlington
Raceway. He joined the editorial staff of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution two years later, but was called back to his motorsports roots in 1975 by Talladega Superspeedway to serve as the track's public relations director.
In 1981, Hunter was named public relations director for NASCAR and was soon promoted to vice president of administration. He returned to his native South Carolina in 1993 as president of Darlington Raceway and later became a corporate vice president of International Speedway Corporation, serving as regional director for the company's Atlantic Division which included race tracks in Darlington, S.C., Rockingham, N.C., and Richmond, Va. Hunter returned to NASCAR in 2001 as vice president of corporate communications and earlier this year earned the added responsibility of overseeing the sanctioning body's regional touring series and the Dodge Weekly Racing Series. Previous winners of the Smokey Yunick Award include Ken Squier, Bill Simpson, Ralph Moody, Banjo Matthews, Bud Moore, Cotton Owens and Junie Donlavey. Tickets for the Oct. 16 UAW-GM Quality 500 start at just $29 and can be obtained online at www.lowesmotorspeedway.com or by calling 1-800-455-FANS.(LMS PR), more info on Smokey Yunick and his awesome books, see smokeyyunick.com.(8-19-2004)

Children-Related Charities to Benefit from NASCAR Day at LMS: In celebration of NASCAR Day on Friday, Aug. 20, and in preparation for the UAW-GM Quality 500 on Saturday night, Oct. 16, Lowe's Motor Speedway will donate $5 to the Victory Junction Gang Camp for each ticket to any UAW-GM Quality 500 Week event that is sold at the speedway's ticket counter Friday between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. In addition, Lowe's Motor Speedway employees will don their favorite NASCAR-themed apparel for work tomorrow, helping support their favorite sport and benefiting children as well. Each participating employee will donate $5 toward the Victory
Junction Gang Camp, founded by Kyle and Pattie Petty. Also, each fan visiting the ticket office or contacting a ticket sales representative via telephone will have the opportunity to make a donation to Speedway Children's Charities.(LMS Site)(8-19-2004)

Speedway Motorsports Agrees to Sell 66 Acres to Mountaineer Land Group: Officials of Speedway Motorsports and Mountaineer Land Group announced today that SMI has agreed to sell a 66-acre parcel of property, located near Lowe's Motor Speedway, to the West Virginia-based real estate development company. The closing is scheduled for Friday. Located five-eighths of a mile south of the speedway on U.S. Highway 29, SMI purchased the property in July 2003. Greg A. Mascaro, managing partner for Mountaineer Land Group, said the purchase of the 66 acres is part of the company's strategic land acquisition in the area, which includes plans for more than 1,000 acres of multi-use development between Highway 49 in Harrisburg and Highway 29. The development will utilize property located in Cabarrus and Mecklenburg counties. The land has been the center of controversy during recent weeks. In May, the speedway cleared a portion of the property of small trees, brush and scrub near the entrance area along Highway 29. City of Charlotte officials have asked the speedway to replant 166 trees in the area cleared. O. Bruton Smith, chairman of SMI, said the property was originally purchased to expand the speedway's parking for NASCAR race events as part of its on-going fan-friendly improvements. Smith said the company will now focus its attention to developing more parking areas closer to the track, which are located in Cabarrus County. Smith added that he hopes city and county leaders will work with future development with an eye toward economic benefit for the area. Mascaro said formal plans for the property's development will be disclosed in the near future.(LMS PR)(8-4-2004)

LMS Cuts Ticket Prices: Lowe's Motor Speedway has quietly cut ticket prices on thousands of seats for its fall and spring Nextel Cup series races, a concession to what track officials call a lingering economic downturn in the Southeast and a dependence on blue-collar fans. Thus far, the track hasn't advertised the reductions. Many fans learned of the new prices when their ticket renewals were processed. If fans paid the old rate, the speedway refunded the difference. "The tracks in the Southeast have been hit harder than anyone else because so many manufacturing and textile jobs have been lost," says Humpy Wheeler, president of the track and its parent company, locally based Speedway Motorsports Inc. "Just take a look around." Closest to home: last summer's Pillowtex closing, which eliminated 4,800 jobs in Kannapolis. For the UAW-GM 500 in October, the speedway has slashed prices on all 38,000 seats in its Diamond Tower Terrace in turn two, seats added during expansions in 1997 and 1998. Those tickets, previously priced at $98 and $110, will now sell for $65, $75, $85 and $95. The reductions affect 23% of the track's 167,000 permanent seats. Since the fall race has never sold out, Wheeler says the move makes sense. Last year, for example, 162,000 fans attended the UAW-GM 500, based on speedway attendance estimates. With infield spots, the track can accommodate about 200,000 fans, track officials say. Reductions for the spring race, the Coca-Cola 600, will apply to 46,000 seats, or 28% of the permanent seating. The price cuts include the 38,000 seats in turn two, which are being reduced by about 25%. In addition, the price of 8,000 seats in the south grandstand, as well as some in the turn one grandstand, will be cut by nearly half in some cases, to a range of $49 to $99. Prices for the speedway's all-star race won't change. Doug Stafford, executive vice president of the speedway, says attendance for the all-star race has increased in recent years, a sign the tickets are priced appropriately. Industry experts say the speedway's price adjustments are a rare sign of major league sports responding to the spiraling costs of attending games and races.(Charlotte Business Journal), for more info on tickets at LMS, see lowesmotorspeedway.com(8-2-2004)

Bruton has no plans to replant trees: Lowe's Motor Speedway owner Bruton Smith said Wednesday he will not replant any trees to make up for illegally chopping down the woods next to a speedway parking lot. Charlotte officials asked the speedway last week to plant 166 trees -- at a likely cost of $41,500 to $49,800 -- as a penalty. In his first interview since then, Smith told WBT-1110 radio host Keith Larson, "I won't be able to do that."(Charlotte Observer)(7-29-2004)

DJ Fan Club offers special deal for fall LMS race: The Dale Jarrett Fan Club is offering a special deal for the UAW-GM Quality 500 weekend at Lowe's Motor Speedway. Join Dale Jarrett Fans and Club members in a special VIP suite for 3 days of racing that includes pre-race pit passes, great buffet, closed circuit TVs, soft back chairs, and a great view of the track. This race is part of the Chase for the Championship and you can be there for qualifying, the Busch race and the Cup race. Three days in a VIP Suite for only $600. Seats are limited call Mike Jones at 704-455-4368 and be a V.I.P. see the race in STYLE!(7-26-2004)

More on the Mexico Race: NASCAR should have an announcement in the next few weeks regarding a Busch race in Mexico City, which has been the main sticking point of the 2005 Busch schedule. NASCAR also will introduce a 10-year deal to run a touring series at the complex. With plans to race in Canada also in the works, NASCAR could expand its operations to three countries in North America.(Foxsports/Sporting News)(7-26-2004)

LMS to plant 166 Trees: Lowe's Motor Speedway must plant 166 trees after sparking a buzz-saw of controversy by illegally chopping the woods around a new parking lot. The trees must be planted between Oct. 15 and Dec. 31, Charlotte officials said in a memo to the speedway released late Friday. All must be at least 2 inches wide, which will cost the speedway between $41,500 and $49,800, according to an industry benchmark of $250 to $300 per tree. The speedway has 30 days to appeal the penalty to the Zoning Board of Adjustment. If the track doesn't plant the trees by Jan. 1, the city's options include adding an escalating fine or revoking the certificate of occupancy for the parking lot. The number of new trees required is less than half the 373 the city estimates were lost. Urban forester Laura Brewer said the city is requiring fewer trees because new growth needs more room.(Charlotte Observer)(7-24-2004)

Latest on the NASCAR test track in NC: The budget proposal introduced yesterday by the N.C. Senate includes $4 million to plan for a NASCAR test track - not as much as Gov. Mike Easley wants but definitely more than the House budget, which contains no money for the project. The Charlotte Regional Partnership has pushed for the state to provide $50 million to build a motorsports test track somewhere within 30 miles of Lowe's Motor Speedway near Concord to provide testing for the 400 race teams in the state. But even some in the industry - including the N.C. Motorsports Association, which is conducting its own study of the racing industry's needs - have urged a slower approach. So even though Easley provided $15 million for the test track in his proposed budget for 2004-05, the House's version of the budget provided nothing at all.(Winston Salem Journal)(6-24-2004)

A Fight Over Trees in Concord: Lowe's Motor Speedway cut down hundreds of trees, sparking a bitter war of words with Charlotte's top political leaders. A dispute over hundreds of bulldozed trees erupted into some nasty name-calling this week between the city's top elected officials and the billionaire owner of Lowe's Motor Speedway. The public spitting match, rare in Charlotte's polite political and business circles, began Tuesday. That's when speedway owner Bruton Smith told the Observer he had permission from Mayor Pat McCrory and Mecklenburg County commissioners chairman Tom Cox to level hundreds of trees the track had promised to save.(Charlotte Observer)(6-17-2004)

SpongeBob the Movie to sponsor the LMS Busch race in Oct: Lowe's announced [Thurs., May 27th] it plans to turn the Oct. 15 night race at Lowe's Motor Speedway into the most "family-friendly race" in NASCAR history. The first component of the plan is the announcement that "The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie" will be the title sponsor for the 300-mile Busch race nationally televised on TNT Friday, Oct. 15 at 8:00pm/et. "Lowe's Presents The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie 300" will be the first race of its kind where children at the track will be able to listen to a special radio broadcast of the event. The broadcast, with announcers to be named later, will give children the opportunity to enjoy listening to live action just like their parents, but in a "kid friendly" manner. "This sounds so cool," said NASCAR NEXTEL Cup driver Jimmie Johnson who will join Kyle Busch in driving special "The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie" paint schemes during the race. "I know there are a lot of families who will be excited that Lowe's is doing this. The great thing is there will be something for every type of race fan. Plus how can we go wrong with SpongeBob helping us out on the car?" In addition to the "kid friendly" radio broadcast of the event, Lowe's and Lowe's Motor Speedway also will present special race ticket offers for families, give away special SpongeBob merchandise, setup kids activities before the race, provide a designated family section, and create a special kids menu at the Lowe's Motor Speedway concession stands. "Lowe's and its 150,000 employees spend most of their time in business helping our customers and their families maintain and improve their homes," said Bob Gfeller, Lowe's senior vice president of marketing. ""The Nickelodeon SpongeBob colors we offer at Lowe's were designed to make children's rooms and play rooms more exciting. The SpongeBob SquarePants paint scheme is an extension of this and is fueled with bright colors to light up the race track." Humpy Wheeler, president and general manager of Lowe's Motors Speedway, said bringing together Speedway Motorsports Inc., Lowe's and Nickelodeon, home of the widely popular animated series "SpongeBob SquarePants", is significant to NASCAR's future. "For years we've worked hard to build our NASCAR Busch Series program into fun, family-oriented events, including family grandstands, free tickets to local scouts and even a car-eating robotic dinosaur," said H.A. Humpy Wheeler, president and general manager of Lowe's Motor Speedway. "This partnership with Nickelodeon Movies and Lowe's is by far the biggest step we've taken to bring family value entertainment and combine it with exciting NASCAR racing. I have joked for years, that I'm just a 12-year-old in a man's body, so this will be special to me as well."
The race will mark Johnson's first appearance in the Busch Series since 2001. Johnson's #48 Lowe's Chevrolet will sport the SpongeBob character while Busch's #5 Lowe's Chevrolet will be outfitted with SpongeBob's starfish buddy Patrick. "SpongeBob SquarePants The Movie," produced by Nickelodeon Movies and distributed by Paramount Pictures, is due in theaters Nov. 19, 2004. Information on "The SpongeBob 300" including merchandise, special ticket offers and upcoming appearances, may be found on Lowesracing.com.(Lowe's PR), see some images of the car on the 2004 Busch Paint Schemes page.(6-1-2004)

DRIVER/TEAM/TESTING NEWS

Marathon #51 Chevrolet to race in UAW-GM Quality 500: This weekend, the #51 Marathon Chevrolet driven by Tony Raines, will be racing at the Lowe's Motor Speedway. "We appreciate Marathon's sponsorship support," said Joe Auer, team owner. Auer also announced that the team's crew chief for this race will be Mark Tudor. Auer further commented, "We've been working hard on our engine and Raines has been driving great, we are really looking forward to this weekend's race."(Competitive Edge Motorsports PR)(10-13-2004)

Larry Foyt to drive 2nd BAM Racing car in 3 races: Larry Foyt and the #59 BAM Racing Dodge team head to the 1.5-mile Lowe's Motor Speedway, located in Concord, N.C., for Saturday night's UAW-GM Quality 500 NASCAR Nextel Cup Series race. Foyt joins BAM Racing with an extensive background in both stock car and open wheel racing. Part of the lineage of the legendary A.J. Foyt, Larry Foyt raced in the 2003 NASCAR Nextel Cup season for A.J. Foyt Racing, as well as in this year's Indianapolis 500. Foyt has a variety of racing experience from USAC, ASA, NASCAR Busch, and Nextel Cup series. "This will be the first time I've driven for a race team owned by someone outside of the family. It'll be a neat experience, something different that I'm looking forward to. Having two cars is something I know BAM Racing is looking forward to in the near future, so it's important for us to perform well this weekend. The only other time they've fielded two cars in the same race was at Infineon and both cars finished well out there. Hopefully, we can duplicate the same performance this weekend," Foyt said."I'm also looking forward to having Kenny Schrader as a teammate. He and A.J. Foyt know each other pretty well and he has said often how A.J. helped him throughout his racing career. Hopefully, a Nextel Cup veteran like Kenny can return the favor. As for now, we're planning on running three Nextel Cup races with BAM Racing before the end of the year; starting in Charlotte, then Atlanta, then the season finale in Homestead. After that we'll see. We're actively working on securing sponsorship for the 2005 Nextel Cup season.(Williams Company PR)(10-11-2004)

The Longest Line Rule: NASCAR officials reaffirmed in the drivers meeting that the car that gets its lap back [Lucky Dog] in a restart must start at the tail end of the longest line. That car can move up before the restart only if other cars ahead pull to the bottom of the track in a sign for series officials that they're letting the car by.(News and Record)(9-7-2004)

Green-White-Checker OFFICIAL and: A “green-white-checkered” finish format will be used for the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series and NASCAR Busch Series beginning with next weekend’s races at New Hampshire International Speedway, NASCAR officials announced today. “The green-white-checkered format is an attempt to achieve everyone’s goals – a green-flag finish,” NASCAR President Mike Helton said. “This change hopefully will provide competitive finishes in the relatively rare occasions it is warranted. This format has been successful in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, and considering the tight competition week in and week out in the other two national series, we feel the time is right to use the same procedure in all three national series.”
The new procedure will consist of a restart of two laps – green flag for the first lap of the restart and the white flag signaling the final lap leading to the checkered flag. All additional laps will be counted and scored. The new format will not guarantee a green-flag finish. Only one restart under the “green-white-checkered” format will be attempted. If a caution comes out during that period, the race will be complete. This procedure will eliminate the need for a red flag in the final laps to immediately stop the race in an attempt to finish under green-flag conditions. The announcement expands the single attempt “green-white-checkered” format to all three of NASCAR’s national series, beginning next week.(NASCAR PR), for the Truck Series, who have had this procedure since it started, in 48 races with a G-W-C, 6 times has the lead changed [12.5%](Speed Channel)(7-15-2004)AND - Trucks Change too: Until now, the trucks have been allowed to run multiple green-flag restarts to determine a winner. That will end after the race at Gateway. Cup races will be allowed only one re-start, and NASCAR will enforce that rule in all three series. Thus, a finish under caution is possible if an accident occurs on the final two laps.(St Louis Post Dispatch)(7-17-2004)

See the 2004 Team Chart which has links to past news for each team and info on each team.

World Series Scheme for Dale Jr. UPDATE 2 yep at Charlotte: For the third time on the NASCAR Circuit, Budweiser and Dale Earnhardt Jr. will be teaming up with Major League Baseball to race at the Martinsville Speedway on October 24th. Earnhardt Jr. will be racing his MLB World Series car the same weekend as the start of the World Series [GO Phillies!]. Dale Jr's special paint scheme will feature the MLB World Series logo and graphics. October 24th, Martinsville Speedway.(8-11-2004)UPDATE: being told now that is will NOT happen....BUT there may be some sort of MLB scheme in the works but NOT at Martinsville.(8-12-2004)UPDATE 2: NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series driver Dale Earnhardt Jr. will drive a specially-decaled Budweiser #8 car Saturday night at Lowe's Motor Speedway near Charlotte commemorating next week's World Series. The car will feature the official Major League Baseball World Series '04 logo on the hood and deck lid as well as images of the championship trophy on the rear quarter panels. Budweiser, the official beer sponsor of Major League Baseball, has sponsorship deals with the four teams represented in the League Championship Series: Boston Red Sox, Houston Astros, New York Yankees and St. Louis Cardinals. This is the fourth season Bud and MLB have teamed up with a special look for the #8 Budweiser car.(fingerprint inc./Anheuser-Busch PR), see an image of the scheme on my #8 Team Paint Schemes page.(10-15-2004)

Special Scheme for Riggs at Lowe's: The #10 Valvoline Chevy driven by Scott Riggs this weekend for the UAW-GM Quality 500 will have a decidedly popular paint scheme. That's because the design was chosen by thousands of Valvoline team "owners" in a recent special vote. The car will be known this weekend as The Team Owners Select #10 Valvoline Chevrolet. This "flowing stripes" paint scheme was last seen in NASCAR competition in 1997 and visited Victory Lane eight times. Riggs likes the idea of Valvoline "insiders" participating in choosing his colors for the weekend. Ten lucky "owners" will be Valvoline guests at Lowe's Motor Speedway this weekend to see their car run. Owners came from North and South Carolina, Florida, Illinois, Pennsylvania, New Mexico and Ohio. Race fans wanting to be part of the Valvoline Owners Program can sign up next year at the Valvoline display at Daytona International Speedway and at Bristol Motor Speedway.(DMF Communications PR), see an image of the car on my #10 Team Scheme page.(10-14-2004)

Mopar Scheme at Lowe's for Kahne: This October, at the UAW-GM 500 at Lowe's Motor Speedway, the Mopar logo will adorn a NASCAR Nextel Cup Series entry for the first time in the brand's history. During the event, the familiar #9 Dodge of Kasey Kahne will boast a new hue that features the blue, black, and silver colors representative of Mopar. This momentous occasion in Mopar's history is one that signifies Mopar's dedication to the sport of racing. "We are proud to have Kasey Kahne carry the Mopar logo for the UAW-GM 500 at Lowe's Motor Speedway," said Kevin Miller, Senior Brand, Performance Parts Portfolio and Brand Strategy for Mopar. "The race drivers who compete under the Mopar banner are among the best in the business, and Kasey Kahne is indicative of what the Mopar brand stands for. Having the Mopar logo showcased in a premier event such as the UAW-GM 500 represents what Mopar's racing endeavors encompass - the longevity and staying power of the sport." The Mopar "bling-bling" paint scheme that Kahne will carry was designed by Competition Graphics of Farmington Hills, Mich. Featuring the Mopar "M" logo, as well as the barbed wire paint scheme utilized by Team Mopar throughout the 2004 season, Kahne's car will carry on the brand's unique and authentic motorsports influence. Mopar is based in Center Line, Mich., and is the exclusive original equipment supplier of parts and accessories for Chrysler, Dodge and Jeep vehicles.(Kasey Kahne site)(10-4-2004)

G.I. Joe Car Unvieled: On Wednesday at the Lake Mirror Amphitheater [FL], #01 U.S. Army driver, Joe Nemechek publicly consummated his relationship with Hasbro Inc., the company that manufactures G.I. Joe. He unveiled a new race car that highlights its 40th Anniversary. Under the scorching midday sun, about 200 patrons, both young and old, saw Nemechek and his mother, Martha, remove the tarp from the #1 U.S. Army/G.I. Joe 40th Anniversary Chevrolet Monte Carlo race car. The car, blanketed in sponsor decals, is several shades of Army green and glossy black. Occupying most of the car's hood is a commemorative emblem of the 40th Anniversary G.I. Joe. A camouflage of greens cover its sides and top. Nemechek plans to race the car for the first time Oct. 16, 2004, at the Lowe's Motor Speedway in Concord, NC.(Lakeland Ledger), see images of the car on my #01 Team Paint Scheme page.(7-1-2004)

Special Paint for RCR at LMS in Oct: All three of RCR's fulltime NASCAR NEXTEL Cup cars will have special paint schemes in the UAW-GM 500 made famous by RCR over the years. The #29 GM Goodwrench Chevrolet will have a blue-and-white paint scheme reminiscent of the #3 Wrangler cars, the #30 America Online Chevrolet will carry a white-blue-and-red paint scheme reminiscent of the #3 Piedmont Airlines cars, and the #31 Cingular Wireless scheme will be reminiscent of the #3 Quicksilver car. RCR's two fulltime NASCAR Busch Series teams, the #2 ACDelco Chevrolet and the #21 Reese's Chevrolet, will maintain their primary paint schemes and will also carry the RCR 35th Anniversary logo on the hood. All RCR cars currently carry the 35th Anniversary logo.AND Richard Childress Racing (RCR) will celebrate its 35th Anniversary by giving one lucky fan (and a guest) a fantasy race weekend at the UAW-GM 500 weekend in October at Lowe's Motor Speedway and a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity with team owner Richard Childress. The "Ride with Richard" promotion begins today (May 27) and will run through Sept. 8, when the winner will be chosen. Race fans will enter by signing up in the Fan Central section of RCR's revamped RCRNetwork web site at www.rcrracing.com, www.rcrnetwork.com, or at AOL Keyword: RCR.(RCR PR)(5-28-2004)

Hendrick Motorsports 20th Anniversary 2004 Schemes: Celebrating its 20th Anniversary in 2004, Hendrick Motorsports goes to Lowe's Motors Speedway with special paint schemes on the Chevy's for the race in October 2004. #25-Brian Vickers, #24-Jeff Gordon, #48-Jimmie Johnson, and #5-Terry Labonte of the HMS team will be racing together to commemorate the first twenty years of Hendrick Motorsports. These cars will be based on their primary paint schemes, but the colors will be replaced with a "silver on silver" paint palatte, giving them a platinum or chrome effect. Each car will have the Hendrick Motorsports commemorative 20th Anniversary logo.(4-23-2004)